Improvement in cigar-presses



A. ISKE.

Case for Pressing Cigars. No. 56,055. Patented July 3, 1866.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-Ice.

ANTHONY ISKE, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEM ENT IN CIGAR-PRESS ES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,055, dated July 3, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY ISKE, of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin the Mode of Pressing Oigars; and I do hereby declare that the follow in g is a full and exact description of the casing and devices employed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of an ordinary press with two of the cases in place under pressure. Fig. 2 is a single case combined of the two sections AB. Fig.3 shows the position when inserting the cigars; Fig. 4, the manner of dislodging them when pressed from their cells; Fig. 5, the several sections separated, showing the ends of the slats and cells; Fig. 6, the manner of clamping three combined cases after they have been pressed, in order to introduce a new set of cases under the press after the clamped cases are removed. Thus a single press will suffice in place of three or more where a number of hands are employed.

The object of this invention is to obviate the use of metallic strips, (which are liable to rust unless made of the best quality of zinc in sheets,)the troublein introducing the cigars and removing them when pressed, they frequently adhering so as to injure the wrappers, besides the difficulty of preventing the zinc strips from bending and getting out of place, as well as other considerations that might be mentioned, without that of the .cost in having the strips out of a uniform width, so that by my improvement more cigars can be pressed in a given time at a greatly-reduced cost.

The process of constructing my cases is simple and readily accomplished. The ledges are first worked out to a uniform thickness and height by machinery or otherwise, and cut to the requisite length. The outer ledges (marked 0) are the thickness of the cigar when pressed higher than those marked 0 X, which latter have the thickness of the cigars desired. The strips or ledges, being provided to any desired number of cases to be made, are now laid conti guous to one another, side by side, to any number. Tough thin wood or metallic plates of the desired size being at hand--ordiuary stout veneerin g of tough, pliable wood eX- pressly made for the purpose answers bestthis being laid and properly adjusted on the top of the series of slats or strips 0 X, each alternate slat is fastened by tacks through the veneer top or covering. The whole of the slats are then turned with the top down, when a similar top is tacked securely on the alternate loose or remaining slats. The outer or gage slats, O, on one section are then slipped one under each end and tacked fast also. When drawn apart they will present the appearance shown by Fig. 5, and the casing is completed for square cigars. For pressing round ones thicker tops A B may be used and semicircular grooves plowed at proper intervals across them, as also on the longitudinal face of the slats, so that each slat dipping in its respective grooved cell, both semicircles meeting, will determine the thickness and shape of the cigar, pressed as in a mold, perfectly round and Smooth.

The press, Fig. 1, shows three boards, marked I II III. These have an outer ledge, D, of the thickness proper to keep the boards apart the desired distance, between which the freshmade cigars may be first pressed flat in one direction by the quantity. They are then readily slipped into the cells between the ledges O X, Fig. 3, of the cases, and when the alternate cells on both sides are filled the sections A B are closed and meshed oneinto the other.

Anynumber of such cases can be set under the press side by side, or in a double series separately between the fixed press-boards III III, sliding up or down in a groove made in the inner sides of the press, or separate and loose dividingboards E F G H, Fig. 6, may be used just the length of the cases, provided with three pins in front and rear. (Shown on the upper E and lower H in Fig. 6.) These combined cases and dividingboards are placed between two of the fixed sliding boards marked I II, and again between II and III, if desired to put inanother series of cases. When submitted to the requisite pressure, while other cases are being filled the first lot can be removed, after first clamping them with the iron straps iii, Fig. 6, in front and rear. Thus the pressure given the cases under the press will be secured, and the same press can be employed to press a second, third, or more series of cases. Consequently one press will answer where three or more are now employed,

and a much greater amount can be pressed in a given time with much greater ease.

After the cigars have remained under pressure in the cases under the press or clamps the allotted time to dry, the clamps are removed with ease, being simply held by a pin entering a hole below and a clamp-hook over a pin above. The sections are drawn apart. A slight bending of the back, as shown by Fig. 4, drops all the cigars out at once. This cannot be done when dividing-boards are used slit and having metallic partitions on both sides inserted, even if they could be bent. One side would necessarily have to be compressed in widening the other. The clumping-irons I are new and useful.

The facility and cheapness of making said slatted cases, meshing one into the other, formingthe alternate chambers for the cigars, and the convenience for filling, pressing, and discharging the cigars will be readily understood on inspection.

I am aware that press-boards have been used with metallic partitions inserted in a sawcut, forming the cells between them, whether square, round, or otherwise. Such an arrangement I do not claim.

My set-boards I II III are simply for flattening the cigars first, instead of using a separate hand-press, or for receiving my-independent cases between them.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The arrangement of my combined cases A B, constructed by alternate slats O X and spaces meshing one into the other, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specitied.

2. The use of clampingirons I, or their equivalent, for securing the pressure when removed from the press until the cigars have dried, substantially in the manner specified.

' ANTHONY ISKE.

Witnesses:

J OHN M. AMWIG, JACOB STAUFFER. 

